1. The sound of Lady Gaga arriving is approximately the same decibel level as a herd of elephants. I was clear on the other side of Alice Tully Hall when the evening's VIP-est honoree arrived, but I would have had to be in Guam to have missed her entrance. The sidewalk was jammed with teenage girls and camera-wielding tourists, and they let out a collective scream that practically shattered the glass of her limo when she stepped out (wearing custom Thierry Mugler and a bright turquoise wig!). Another Gaga highlight? She told the audience that Anna Wintour texted her to notify and congratulate her about her Fashion Icon award, and she texted back, "We did it bitch!", thinking it was another Anna!

2. Kanye West doesn't do interviews. Surely this is a recent development, because in the past, he's not only mugged for my camera, but he's let me sidle right up to him post-show and pick his brain about clothes. Maybe he was trying to avoid questions about his rumored clothing line, or maybe he'd just had some dental work done--one side of his jaw was totally swollen and he was talking kinda funny--but when I asked if we could chat for a minute, he told me, "I don't do interviews. But you can take my picture." Thanks, buddy.

3. Brad Goreski's newest client is Jessica Alba! It turns out life is pretty good post-Rachel Zoe: Her onetime assistant is in the middle of filming his own reality show on Bravo and recently scored a new A-list client. "She's wearing custom Diane Von Furstenberg," he told me. "I got her ready at her hotel, then just threw on this suit and ran here!"

4. Anderson Cooper was a child model. Yes gals, the evening's host--wearing Ralph Lauren--was camera-ready long before he was a silver fox. He shared a photo of his pre-teen modeling days with the audience, when he was signed with Ford at age 11!

5. Chris Benz's preferred shade of hair dye is "Cotton Candy Pink." The designer made his name with his famously creative use of color, and he put his money where his mouth was last night by rocking this shocking pink crop. I had to ask what, exactly, he's been using. "Manic Panic, and the shade is called 'Cotton Candy Pink'," he told me.

There you have it, ladies...an evening of glamour, gorgeous people, and a proper celebration for fashion's most deserving names. What was your favorite bit of insider gossip from last night's CFDA awards? Did your favorite designers win? Discuss!